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Out of the Blue
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By: Jenny Caspersonn, Issue 35 – Winter 2008
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(Ningaloo Marine Park - Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia)
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TAKE A WALK ON YOUR WILDSIDE, AND EXPERIENCE A HEART-STOPPING SWIM WITH WA’S WHALE SHARKS.
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I once heard a child describe them as ‘the sharks with the little lights on their backs’. Treading water in the clear cobalt waters off WA’s Ningaloo Reef the little lights were suddenly coming straight toward me. Below the lights was an enormous gaping mouth. Lucky these whale sharks are filter feeders, I was thinking. Somehow in the organised pandemonium that followed, our group of ten intrepid whale shark fanciers split obediently into two and for the next ninety minutes we took turns to snorkel alongside Rhincodon typus, the world’s biggest fish.
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Nearby, the skipper of the ‘Drawcard’ of Three Islnds Marine Charters navigated a safe distance from our whale shark and the other charter vessels.
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Each year, from April to July, these enormous gentle creatures arrive at Ningaloo Marine Park to feed on the mass spawning of hundreds of species of coral. Ningaloo is one of the few places in the world where whale sharks appear regularly in easily observable near-shore waters.
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Our shark, at around five metres long, was a relatively small, adolescent male. The whale sharks off Ningaloo generally range between four to 12-metres, with a 12-metre whale shark weighing as much as 11 tonnes, and possessing a mouth over a metre wide. They can grow to a staggering 18 metres and it is thought they mature at around 30 years, and live to 100 years old.
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The first recorded whale shark sighting was in South Africa in 1828. They were first seen in Australia in 1936, but not until the 1980s was it recognised that whale sharks returned each year to the same spot off Ningaloo Reef. Capitalising on this seasonal occurrence, whale shark tours began here in 1989, giving people the opportunity to swim at close range with them. In 1993 the CALM (Conservation and Land Management) code of conduct was introduced to ensure the preservation of the sharks and the safety of participants. It’s sensible acknowledgement of the fine balance between preserving a remarkable natural phenomenon and enabling an exceptional tourism experience.
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The whale sharks, although enormous, are harmless. As filter feeders they cruise through the water with their mouths agape and planktonic organisms are filtered from the water through their gills. When high densities of plankton are present the whale shark will gulp, so their thousands of tiny teeth arranged in more than 300 rows are more or less redundant.
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Ningaloo Marine Park was established in 1987 and is located off North West Cape, 1,200 kilometres north of Perth. Covering 5,000 square kilometres of ocean it’s the largest fringing reef in Australia. Manta rays, turtles, dugongs, whales, dolphins, sharks and whale sharks frequent the reef and it is known throughout the world as an exceptional diving and snorkelling destination. The small town of Exmouth was built to support the joint US/Australian Communications facility at North West Cape, which opened in 1967. Despite the beauty of the waters and landscape around it, Exmouth is an unremarkable place and, until late 2007, accommodation options were limited.
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The good news is that the recently completed Novotel Ningaloo Resort heralds the beginning of a new development precinct that will bring much-needed accommodation and facilities to this region where tourism is the fastest growing industry. Located a few minutes out of town on Sunrise Beach, the Novotel Ningaloo Resort has opened 44 of the planned 150 rooms including a range of studios, two- and three-bedroom self- contained apartments, and freestanding villas. The complex also contains the stylish Mantaray restaurant, bar, lounge, resort-style swimming pool and gym and has direct beach access.
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The theme is simple and contemporary with furnishings reflecting the colours and textures of the extraordinary landscape. The second phase of the Exmouth Marina Village will include a retail component as well as more accommodation catering for the growing popularity of this beautiful corner of Australia.
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The area has lots to offer: remote wilderness adventures through the red rock canyons and gorges of the Cape Range National Park just 35 kilometres from Exmouth; deep sea fishing, drift snorkeling at Turquoise Bay; and of course the magnificent marine life of Ningaloo Reef.
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On the final swim with our whale shark, I watched the graceful sway of his enormous tail propel him away as the little lights disappeared into the inky waters. Apparently the distinctive pattern of spots is unique to each fish and is a valuable tool for researchers to identify, monitor and hopefully protect these creatures. Since they live until they are 100, I’d like to think our whale shark might still be around to swim with my grandchildren.
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Details:
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Three Islands Marine Charters
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Novotel Ningaloo Resort
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